New Year, Content Feelings

Reflecting on this past year, I realized it was a pretty awesome year for us. There were no major heartaches or hard events. No, 2011 was a year of healing, blessing, and so much fun! Here is a list of the things I am thankful for from 2011:

• Four feet of fresh powder for our first snowboarding trip of the season.
• Two more snowboard trips.
• Began tutoring at the Tenderloin After School Program.
• Enjoyed a membership at the Modern Museum of Art.
• Found Lighthouse Church, which became our home church.
• Beloved Community in Daly City where we made some amazing friends.
• Coffee with Lindsey Smith weekly.
• Deepening relationships in my Masters Classes (e.g. Beer Club).
• Trip to Colorado to see JJ and Tessa.
• A 36 miles round trip bike ride for Danny's Birthday (1,000 ft elevation gain).
• Five weddings. Danny was in two of them.
• Celebrated our 1st Wedding Anniversary in 40 mph gusts of winds while camping with Danny's family in Gaviota California. A unique celebration that was a perfect way to celebrate our crazy first year.
• Had a professor tell me that he was really impressed with my growth since starting my program.
• Completed my first year of my Masters program: 100+  written pages, 1,000+ read pages, and millions of conversations later, I have learned so much!
• A week in Coasta Rica with the Halls for my first family vacation with them.
• Celebrated my mom turning 70 in June with a surprise tea party!
• Spoke about Race, ethnicity, and reconcilation during InterVarsity's Fresno Urban Internship.
• Worked with Destination Science during the summer: Great to contribute to the household expenses and to work daily with kids.
• Summer in the City: Concerts at Stern Grove, a trip to Sonoma, Outside lands concert, bike trips to explore.
• Joined the Hall Fantasy Football league, so participated in my first "Draft Day" (yes, it is a whole day, where we draft together in person).
• Camping in the Redwoods with Church friends.
• Went to my first college football game (Stanford vs UCLA).
• Tailgated for the first time.
• Saw Charlie, my brother-in-law play a couple of times with the UCLA band.
• Blue Angels/Fleet week, enough said.
• My other brother-in-law, Andy and his girlfriend came for a visit one weekend.
• We moved to a more sunny, less hilly, and mold-free area of SF.
• We now live below Dorothy, a friend from church, who is quickly become our SF family.
• Went to the Academy of Sciences for FREE!
• Backpacked with Danny in Marin headlands.
• A surprise birthday party for me!
• A wonderful holiday season with my mom and extended family at Thanksgiving and Danny's family at Christmas.

The main theme for me this year has been family. Danny and I continue to build our own family while learning how to be apart of each other's root family. Nothing like a week trip in a foreign country to bond you with your in-laws! Our church community is beginning to feel more  like family as we continue to develop friendships with them. As a church, we also want to take our "family" into the larger community of San Francisco and welcome more people into our relationships. For me, my "school friends" have also become a sort of family: I call them "my people". They understand me more than any other group of people I have ever encountered. we are there for each other as we sort through many emotions and thoughts. They challenge me as I dream of what I will be when I "grow-up" and hold me accountable to making a difference in the world.

I know that 2011 was not so good for other people. For that I feel blessed, humbled, and grateful for such an amazing year. I did not deserve such a wonderful year, but the Lord has been good to me. May 2012 be such a year for you no matter what 2011 was like.